Apparatus for constructing hollow concrete walls



nfuuuunvulnhhhuuuvv/hh INVEN TOR. EUGENE A. 8406/17- ATTORNEY `une 21, 1960 E. A. BACCHIl APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING HOLLOW CONCRETE WALLS Filed Sept. 20, 1954 APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING HOLL() CONCRETE -WALLS Eugene A. Bacchi, 3345 Fillmore St., San Francisco, Calif.

Filed Sept. 20, 1954, Ser. No. 457,130

2 Claims. (Cl. 25-128) formed around the sides of the core', forms."Y Aftervthef concrete wall has set, the coreAv forms arecollapsedand then removed from the wall. f-The spaces occupied by the removed core forms'provide air channels extending the full height of the hollowconcrete wall. The core forms are preferably made from steel metal, thereby making it practical to use them repeatedly in the construction of other concrete walls.

It is much more economical to construct hollow con crete walls in accordance with my invention, since considerably less material is used than is required in formingY similar walls which do not have elongated air spaces therein. Then also, the hollow concrete walls constructed in accordance with my invention being substantially lighter in weight do not require the larger and more costly supporting base structures.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of constructing hollow concrete walls.

Another object of my invention is to provide a collap sible core form for use in constructing concrete walls having elongated air spaces or channels extending therethrough.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter, orwill be indicated in the appended claims or will be obvious to one skilled inthe art upon an understanding of the -present disclosure. For the purpose of this application, I have elected vto show herein certain forms of a collapsible core form used in the construction of concrete walls which is representative o f my invention; it is to be understood, however, lthat the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for the purpose of illustration only and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible core form used in the construction of hollow concrete walls, showing the various parts of the form in assembled positions;

Fig. 2 is a composite view showing various parts of the core form in detached positions;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through a concrete wall constructed in accordance with my invention, showing aplurality of core forms positioned inside the wall;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view showing the core nitd States :Patent forms in position within a concrete wall, prior to their removal;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the forms collapsed and the inner tubular supporting members removed, preparatory to their removal from the concrete wall; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal View of a completed concrete wall constructed in accordance with my invention.

Referring to the drawings, the numeralsl, 2, 3 and 4 desginate the elongated sides of an inner one piece tubular supporting member 5, the cross sectional shape of which is substantially rectangular. The parallel sides 1 and 3 have extensions 1 and 3 respectively, of the same length, which extend in opposite directions but which are arranged in parallel relationship tol each other. The length of the tubular supporting member 5 may vary, but in some instances it preferably extends substantially the full height of a wall constructed in accordance with my invention.

Removably secured to the ends of the tubular supporting member 5 by U-shaped spring clips 6 or other suitable means are rectangular plates of the same size and shape which are correspondingly arranged in substantially parallel relation to each other. The legs of the U-shaped clips 6 are so constructed and arranged that they extend into l the tubular supporting member and snugly and frictionally engage with the sides 2 and 4, thereby normally but releasably holding the plates 7 in corresponding and parallel positions against the ends of the tubular supporting mem. ber. The clip of each plate is secured thereto by rivets or welding, and its position with respect to the edges of the-A plate is such that the plate is held in a position on the tubular supporting member wherein the edges of the plate are obliquely disposed with respect to the sides of the supporting member. The dimensions of the plates 7 and the tubular supporting member 5 are such that the edges of each plate extend in line with or outwardly beyond the corners of the said member and the ends of the extensions thereof. In other words, the relative sizes of the plates 7 and the tubular supporting member 5 are such` that the outer edges of the plates are disposed in four ver-l tical vplanes which lie outwardly with respect to and enclose Ithe said supporting member and its extensions `1 and 3. l

Extending in rectangular formation around the tubular supporting member 5 in engaging relation with edges of the plates 7 are four angle members 8, preferably of the same size and shape. The angle members 8 are slightly longer than the tubular supporting member 5 and each comprises two sides, preferably of the same width which are disposed at right angles to each other. The angle members 8 are preferably made from fairly thin sheet steel or other suitable rigid material. The angle members are' arranged in positions in which their lateral edge porf tions are in alternately overlapping relatiomand suitable means 9, such as wires or ribbon type metal bands extend 'l tightly around 'the angle members to maintain them in The core form or the aforesaid assembled formation. structure comprising the angle members 8, the tubular supporting member 5, and the end plates 7, is normally supported on a suitable base in a vertical position. As

shown on the drawing, the tubular supporting member 5 is positioned with two of its longitudinally disposed corners engaging with two of the sides of two of the angle members 8 while the extensions 1' and 3' of such tubular member engage with the two other sides of the other two angle members. The position of the extensions 1 and 3' of each tubular supporting member 5 with respect to the engaging sides of the angle members 8 lis such that the supporting member may be slightly turned in a clockwise direction (Fig. 4) to permit the collapsing of the angle members after the detachment of the end plates 7 from atented .lune'ZL 1960` the supporting member. In'practice a number of such core forms are aligned in spaced relation and held in ver-- tical positions by suitable means such as a horizontal top piece engaging with the upper ends of the angle members 8 or the upper end plate 7. The bottom endplate 7 is preferably connected by a chain 9 to the lower end ofthe' tubular supporting member 5, thereby making it possible to remove the said plate along with the tubular member from the interior space formed in a concrete wall or body, as-will -be presently described.

In constructing a concrete wall in accordance with the present invention, a number of suitably spaced core forms embodying the construction hereinabove described are aligned in substantially vertical positions with suitable base and overlying means holding them in place. The core yforms may also be arranged in spaced horizontal positions when constructing iloors, ceiling and overlying structures,-or such core forms may be arranged in parallel inclined positions when constructing roofs or other inclined wall structures. A suitable reenforcing steel mesh material or the-like may be arranged alongside the core forms to reenforce the concrete wall, if so desired. By means of a pneumaticaily applied method, using -a pressure system for spraying the concrete material, a body of concreteforming the wall B is formed around the-core forms. After the concrete has set to form the concrete wall B, the upper end plates 7 are each removed by means of a suitable tool inserted inside a hole provided therein. The supporting members are pulled upwardly to free them from the lower plates 7, and turned in clockwise directions after which they and the said lower plates are lifted and-removed. The core forms are then collapsed by shifting the angle members 8 to central positions, as shown in Fig. 5. Since a collapsed core form is smaller than the vertical space or channel of the concrete wall it' occupied, thevarious angle members 8 may be easily lifted from the interior of the concrete wall B. After the removal of the core forms, the wall will have a number of spaxzed vertical air spaces or channels C formed therein.

What I claim is:

l. In a core form for use in constructing hollow concrete walls, an upright elongated tubular supporting member of substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape throughout its length having two pairs of parallel sides` and also having longitudinal extensions of substantially the samewidth Vas one another extending outwardly in opposite directions from longitudinal lateral edges of two of its opposed sides, and said extensions having outer longitudinal edges, rectangular plates of substantially the same size and shape as one another detachably secured to the ends of the elongated supporting member, the

rectangular plates vbeing arranged in corresponding positions and in substantially parallel planes at right anglesv to the longitudinal axis of the supporting member, the' plates also being arranged with two of their opposed edges in substantial vertical alignment with the outer edges of the longitudinal extensions of the tubular supporting member, four elongated right angle members arranged in rectangular formation around and in engagement with the plates, the angle members yhaving longitudinal lateral edge portions, and said angle members being substantially longer than the supporting member and such angle members being arranged with the longitudinal lateral edge pontion of one angle member overlapping the edge portion of another angle member and two of the angle members being in engagement with the outer edges of the extensions, and the elongated supporting member being rotatable about its longitudinal axis to disengage the outer edges of the extensions thereof from the angle members, whereby the angle members may 'be collapsed and means extending around and iirmly engaging with the angle members.

2. In a core form for use in constructing hollow concrete walls, an upright elongatedtubular supporting member of substantially rectangular shape in cross section throughout its length andV having parallel longitudinal extensions of substantially the same width extending outwardly in opposite directions from the lateral edges of two of its opposed sides, the longitudinal extensions having longitudinal outer edges, rectangular plates of the same size and/shape abutting the ends of the `tubular supporting member and having projecting members extending into and friotionally 'engaging opposed sides of the supporting member, theplates being arranged in corresponding positions and in substantially'paralle'l'planes at right angles to the longitudinal axis ofthe supporting member, the plates also being arranged with two of their opposed edges in substantially ventical alignment with two opposed longitudinal corners of the tubular supporting member and also with their other `two opposed edges in substantiallyy vertical alignment with the outer edges of the Vextensions of Ithe supporting member, four elongated right angle members arranged in rectangular formation around and in engagement with the plates, the angle members being longer than the supporting member, and such angle members having longitudinal lateral edge portions, the angle members being arranged with the longitudinal lateralv edge portion of one angle member overlapping Athe edge portion of another angle member, means connecting the tubular supporting member and the lower plate, whereby upon the upward displacement of the supporting member the lower plate is disengaged from the angle members,

and aplurality of bands extending around the angle mem' bers in confining relationship therewith.

References Cited in the le of this `patent UNITED STATES PATENTS j .1,198,087 Venable Sept. 12, 1916 1,319,929 ,Miller Oct. 28, 1919; 1,323,020 Cresrner Nov. 25, 1919; 1,452,259 Snell Apr. 17, 1923 1,477,065 Kuert Dec. 11, 1923 1,500,683 Otterson July 8, r1924 2,091,385 Trickey Aug. 31, 19374 2,315,634 McCall ,Apr. 6, 1943, 2,507,924 Morse May 16, 1950= 2,707,814 Francis etal. May 10, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS '415,245 Great'Britain Aug. 23, 1934 

